Meet our dedicated team passionately working to advance learner-centered education.

Shajan is driven by her passion for education and deep devotion to social justice, social impact, and equity. She is proud to work toward a shared vision of a just and equitable education system where every child is loved, honored, and supported to reach their full potential. Shajan has an MA in International Relations from Howard University. She lives in California with her family and enjoys annual international trips where she can immerse herself in the beauty of new cultures and ideas.

Emily is an integrated communications leader who’s counseled many of the world’s top brands to inspire action and business success, by sharing their most powerful stories in the right ways. Prior to Education Reimagined, she served as Vice President of Marketing Communications for LEAP Innovations. There, she elevated the organization’s thought leadership around critical issues in K–12 education, and reshaped its storytelling to underscore the critical impact of its learner-centered strategies.

Alin Bennett is Education Reimagined’s Vice President of Practice and Field Advancement. He is a staunch advocate for national school transformation and creating equitable systems. His previous work has included leading curriculum development, advisories, schools, and districts in ways that continuously advance learner-centered, equity-based practices. Alin calls Rhode Island home, where he lives with his two children.

Nayan Bhula is the Director of Operations for Education Reimagined. He has 20 years of business management experience, and has worked in a variety of industries including finance, retail, education, and hospitality. Over the last decade, he has worked on the ground level with students, seeing the need to develop a more learner-centered approach that focuses on the student. He is also a songwriter-musician, husband, Washington Nationals super-fan, and father of two.

Sarah Bishop-Root is the Partner for Policy Leadership at Education Reimagined. She was formerly the Policy Director of Next Generation Learning at ExcelinEd and led the Network of State Innovation Partners, a community of practice supporting state education agencies. Prior to ExcelinEd, Sarah worked at Blackboard, focusing on open education and educators’ adoption of online best practices. Sarah earned an MSEd in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University Bloomington.

Curl is Education Reimagined’s Senior Creative Director. Over the last 15 years, she has worked as a design lead in non-profit, agency, and technology settings for both local and global organizations. She is passionate about inclusive design practices and highly prioritizes accessibility in her work. With formal graphic design and psychology training, Curl approaches her creative projects as a people-focused leader. Outside of work, she spends her time in her most important role as “Mom.”

Demi Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of Education Reimagined. She leads with a conviction that education transformation can create a breakthrough in equity, justice, and well-being for our children and society. With over a decade at Education Reimagined, Demi most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer and oversaw the organization’s operational launch as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2019. She graduated from Georgetown University and lives in Washington, DC with her husband and dog.

Dr. Domonique Edwards leads research focused on learner-centered ecosystems. With over a decade of experience, her previous research has facilitated storytelling, learning, and responsive decision-making among educational leaders, impacting programs and systems. As an adjunct professor, she has lectured courses on adolescent development and equity in organizations. Domonique holds a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies. Outside of work, she enjoys archiving her family’s history.

Eddie is the Program Manager for Education Reimagined. He has seen firsthand the impact learner-centered models can have on learners through the music school he opened in Northern Virginia. Eddie is committed to continuing the pursuit of a new, adaptive worldview with Education Reimagined through his work with the Learning Lab and SparkHouse communities. Outside of work, you can see him on stages around Washington, DC, rocking out with his cover and original bands.

Jason is Education Reimagined’s Senior Manager of Content Development. As a life-long learner, he brings a decade of experience in entertainment, LGBTQ+, and non-profit communications to the team. Jason earned an MA in Professional Communication from William Paterson University in 2017. When he’s not wordsmithing, you can find Jason listening to a podcast, watching ice hockey, enjoying a Broadway show, or sitting around a campfire with friends.

Emily Liebtag, EdD, is Education Reimagined’s Chief Innovation Officer. For over two decades, she has supported learner-centered education as a community advocate, author, researcher, and connector in the field. In her role today, she continues to help leaders in communities across the country to advance and promote transforming education and creating what is possible for all learners. Inspired by nature, community, and comedy, Em tries to bring light and love to every interaction.

Bobbi Macdonald, ED.L.D., is a Senior Partner for Ecosystem Growth and Advancement at Education Reimagined, where she leads initiatives to catalyze transformational models of education that bring to life learner-centered ecosystems. Her previous work as Executive Director of City Neighbors in Baltimore sought to provide an answer to the question, “What would it take for every student to be Known, Loved, and Inspired?” That question remains at the heart of her work today.

Ryhen Miller-Hollis, Education Reimagined’s Communications Coordinator, is not only a visionary but also an advocate for inclusivity and belonging. Driven by creativity, she passionately champions young learners through strategic creative initiatives within non-profit communities. At Education Reimagined, Ryhen is committed to ensuring that every learner feels a sense of belonging in any space they aspire to be in. Outside of work, Ryhen is all about eccentric fashion, frogs, and flowers.

Lindsy Ogawa is Education Reimagined’s Senior Director of Field Advancement. She connects and convenes national communities of learning for educators and partners dedicated to an equitable, joyful education for every young person. She knows there’s much to celebrate and learn from those already bringing learner-centered education to life. Lindsy taught special education, holds an MS in Education from JHU, and loves karaoke with her husband in the Bay Area and Hawaiʻi, places she calls home.

Dr. Khara Schonfeld-Karan is the Director of Field Research for Education Reimagined. After serving as a K–12 educator for over a decade in the US and internationally, Khara taught education courses and led teaching programs at the university level. Khara’s study of curriculum theory and her research on unschooling coalesced in the publication of the book Parental Experiences of Unschooling. Khara has a PhD in Teacher Education & Professional Development and a MEd in Art Education.

Sofia Teytelman is the Operations Coordinator for Education Reimagined. She is passionate about using her financial acumen and business expertise to maximize efficiency and support the team in any way possible. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for streamlining processes, she ensures smooth operations to fuel the organization’s success. In her free time, she enjoys studying history through film, designing elaborate builds in The Sims 4, and cooking delicious meals for family and friends.

Kelly Young is the President Emeritus and Founder of Education Reimagined. Originally convening a group of 28 education leaders to reimagine education through the Convergence Center For Policy Resolution, Kelly harnessed the passion and ideas formed from this group to inform and inspire the larger learner-centered movement. She is the mother of two children and received a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Virginia.

Allan Cohen is an interdisciplinary management consultant, transformational facilitator, entrepreneur, and executive. For the last 20 years, he has led transformational workshops for participants addressing a wide range of social and economic challenges. He has done this work in corporate boardrooms, public sector agencies, retreat centers in the Mississippi Delta, Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine, and the administrative halls of higher education.

Milissa is an experienced educational leader and National Board Certified Teacher with an MA in Education Research and Policy. Her career began as a high school teacher in Chicago. A microschool founder, she has served as a consultant and director for several national nonprofits, focused on equitable opportunities for students, coaching, leadership and program design. Her entire career has been driven by a deep desire for young people to have choice-filled lives.

Peter McWalters is currently a board member for Big Picture Learning, a trustee of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (NCIEA), and a consultant to Education Reimagined. Peter’s expertise in education is extensive, drawing from previously held positions including President of the Council of Chief State School Officers; board member of the National Center for Education and the Economy; and member of the Council of Great City Schools.

Julian Serrão is a leadership and management consultant who specializes in creating dramatic shifts in organizational performance with senior leaders of global Fortune 1000 companies. A product of educational access programs himself, Julian is dedicated to expanding educational access across the ecosystem. He brings experience incorporating new blended learning models, and innovating and applying agile framework practices to math learning in underresourced districts.

Michael Soguero has been a leader in education reform since 1993 when he helped found the Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center in Estes Park, Colorado. He became the Co-Director of an expeditionary learning school in NYC and later founded the Bronx Guild. Now retired, he still facilitates professional development, travels full-time with his wife of 30+ years, volunteers for Braver Angels, and works on his Spanish daily to stay connected with family in Spain.